The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla’s deployment of its new Cybercab, which was introduced on public roads in Austin, Texas, without a steering wheel or pedals. This compliance probe came just hours after Tesla began operating the first production Cybercabs. Federal vehicle safety regulations currently require manual controls in vehicles, though proposals are underway to relax these rules for vehicles designed exclusively for autonomous driving.

Tesla informed NHTSA that it self-certified the Cybercab as compliant with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), a process automakers typically use to validate regulatory compliance. The agency’s inquiry will scrutinize the methods and technical information Tesla used to certify the vehicle, especially focusing on whether Tesla deemed certain federal motor vehicle standards irrelevant to the Cybercab’s design.

This regulatory move echoes a similar investigation into Zoox, an Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, which faced federal scrutiny after self-certifying its robotaxi lacking traditional controls. Zoox’s experience included detailed audits and a prolonged approval process before eventually receiving a federal exemption last year, allowing it to operate a limited commercial fleet. Zoox now operates paid robotaxi services in Las Vegas under specific regulatory limits.

NHTSA emphasized that while it supports the safe advancement of automated vehicles, federal laws must still be followed until ongoing updates to FMVSS are completed, which aim to remove obstacles for autonomous vehicle innovation. The agency indicated its commitment to balancing innovation with safety oversight to maintain the U.S.’s leading role in automated vehicle development. It remains to be seen whether Tesla will face a regulatory path as extended as Zoox’s.